NLCS Game 5: Carlos Beltran returns, rain not expected to

By C. Trent Rosecrans | Blogger

October 19, 2012 6:38 PM ET

ST. LOUIS -- It's chilly in St. Louis and you're likely to see players in sweatshirts, jackets and stocking caps, as the temperature is expected to drop below 50 degrees. However, the scattered showers of the morning and early afternoon have reportedly moved out of the area.

The Cardinals waited to see how Carlos Beltran felt before making out their lineup for Game 5. Beltran sustained a knee injury in Game 3 and missed all of Game 4. He said Thursday he hoped to return Friday and had been available as a pinch-hitter Thursday. Before Game 4, Beltran said hitting and running the bases weren't as much of an issue as playing in the outfield.

Beltran ran in the outfield during batting practice and told reporters he wanted to go, but the final decision was up to manager Mike Matheny.

"We're trying to get him," Matheny said before the final decision was made. "He was doing better [Thursday], but still not quite there unless we can have the medical staff do something good that his knee responds to."

Beltran told reporters he had acupuncture on the knee earlier on Friday before reporting to Busch Stadium early to work with Cardinals trainers.

The Giants went back to the same lineup they'd used in the first three games of the series, with Buster Posey catching and batting fourth. Hunter Pence, after one game hitting sixth, was back in the five spot and Brandon Belt is back in the lineup at first base.